


up in flames

by dreamonhunters



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Character Death, M/M, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:42:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23346379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamonhunters/pseuds/dreamonhunters
Summary: “Where’d you learn to do that?” Albert questioned, nodding minutely towards the boy’s hold before seizing violently again.“I watched you.”“Of course you did.”
Relationships: Albert DaSilva/Racetrack Higgins
Comments: 8
Kudos: 13





	up in flames

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by m. r. carey’s the girl with all the gifts.

It was dark. Quiet, except the pounding of a heart Race was sure had never beat. And he was running, oh God, he was running like there was nothing left and this was the end of the world. Maybe that was the case; after all, if what Jack had said really was true, this probably would be the end for the masses.

He had taken precautionary measures, of course he had, because the last thing he wanted was to be the only one remaining in this mess of a world. The pair remaining at their base would be safe, and Race’s immunity would protect him from harm anyway. That was all he wanted - to be safe, to stop running, never knowing if that day was their last, to start again in safety. And he could do it! He could! The information he gathered said that, and he was not willing to lose this chance.

What once must have been a tall, imposing building was now encased within thick vines, as though there would be nothing left should those plants retreat. Race wasn’t even sure he could see the top fully; his short stature did him no favours, and the darkness shrouding the world did not lend itself to visibility. It didn’t matter anyway. Once he was done, this building would be nothing more than ashes and flickering embers. It was the pods attached to the vines that drew his interest - rough exteriors that he knew to be unbreakable by mere strength, with insides that would end this waste of an existence. He drew closer, kneeling among the roots of the vines and the skulls of long-dead humans, and pulled the small, red box out of his pocket.

Race paused, considered, turned the box over in his hands. He shook it, listening to the sound of wood hitting wood hitting cardboard. It didn’t change his mind, and it didn’t stop him from slowly pushing out the little drawer and selecting one of the thin matchsticks. The small amount of heat given out by the naked flame drew his eyes down, and he sucked in a deep breath before tossing it as deep into the vines as it could go. Pause. And then he stumbled back as he watched the inferno begin to swallow up the vines, the glass, the concrete - everything became engulfed in the dancing flames. It travelled fast, inching up the building at a terrifyingly rapid pace, and only once it was halfway up did Race properly focus on the scene before him. Raining down around him like snow...tiny, grey particles he knew to be spores. He reached out a hand, letting them settle briefly before shaking them off. He knew they were no threat to him, and after a long minute staring up at the blazing flames, he turned, and began the journey back to the base.

He hadn’t gotten very far when he saw a figure on the horizon, staring up at the inferno like he had done not so long ago. Race froze in his spot, straining his eyes to see through the darkness and spores and identify the person before him - should it be a person at all. When this task proved virtually impossible, he made his way forward cautiously, keeping both eyes trained on the figure. It didn’t move, and it seemed completely unaware of his presence. Good. That would come in handy should Race have to run.

But Race wouldn’t have to run - no, if anything, they should be the one running. It dawned on him too late that this person was unlike him, this person was human, and within minutes they would be laid paralysed on the ground before completing their transformation into one of those horrendous, mutilated beasts. A flash of red caught his eye, and he froze once again when the realisation hit him. This was Albert, his teammate, the only person left in this world who he cared about and who reciprocated that love and care. And he would die like this, he would choke to death and become some brain dead animal that no longer recognised anything but his next meal.

“Race! What the fuck are you doing out here?”

“Why are you here? Y-You’re not supposed to be...go back, please, before it’s too late!” Race begged, snapping out of his stupor and sprinting for the man.

“What did you do? What is this supposed to be? Don’t you realise that’s gonna attract more of them than we can handle?” Albert retorted, wrapping his arms protectively around Race’s tiny body. “We’re in no state to fight right now. This is the last thing we need.”

Race couldn’t bring himself to meet Albert’s eyes, knowing that when he did they’d be shining with regret and anger and confusion. He’d ask him what’s wrong, and Race wouldn’t be able to tell him because he didn’t have the words to explain what was wrong and how he was going to die and it was all over now how was he so stupid why did he leave the safe place-

“Race. You...you didn’t.” the words came softly, dissipating into the air and broken by the crackling of the fire. The boy could do nothing but nod against his side, still unable to look up and see the face of the person he loved. “Why?” he asked, his voice cracking slightly.

“I had to. I made sure you were safe, I...I don’t know, Al. You have to go.”

“It’s too late for me now and we both know it,” he murmured, pulling away to lean against a nearby building. “I can’t go back there. I’m not risking Jack’s life too.”

“You have to go somewhere! You can’t stay here, you’ll die, an-”

“I would die either way, Race.” Albert mumbled, struggling to draw something from his belt. His body began to seize unnaturally, inhumanly, and Race backed away in fear. Albert refused to meet his eyes, and eventually he managed to retrieve whatever he was looking for from his belt. “Race...please. I don’t wanna end up like those monsters.” he murmured, pushing his pistol towards the other. “J-Just do it. I’m not staying here to become one of them.”

Shaking hands slowly closed around the weapon, and Race met Albert’s eyes momentarily. They shone with anguish despite the smile Albert tried to force onto his face, and Race returned the smile with childlike ease. He lifted the weapon, flicking off the safety, before meeting his eyes again.

“Where’d you learn to do that?” Albert questioned, nodding minutely towards the boy’s hold before seizing violently again.

“I watched you.”

“Of course you did.”

Momentarily, Race considered lowering the gun and rushing to Albert’s side, convincing him he’d be fine. He stopped himself, though, because he knew Albert wouldn’t want that, and he didn’t want to make Albert any more miserable than he already was. With heavy heart, he met Albert’s deep brown eyes a final time, and pulled the trigger.

He dropped the gun, and ran.

**Author's Note:**

> come find me on tumblr @narvaeztrash for more writing _!_


End file.
